This study digitally restored and investigated the changing process of Woldae
at Gwanghwamun in a virtual space. Woldae was built in 1866 during the year
of King Gojong and underwent four major changes until the 1910s under
Japanese colonial rule. Thi...
This study digitally restored and investigated the changing process of Woldae
at Gwanghwamun in a virtual space. Woldae was built in 1866 during the year
of King Gojong and underwent four major changes until the 1910s under
Japanese colonial rule. This architectural structure was demolished due to the
tram rails laid down in the 1920s. The Cultural Heritage Administration
completed its restoration into its original form during the year of King Gojong
in October 2023 to restore its historicity and reproduce its value. Woldae is an
architectural structure that holds huge significance for its role as a
communication space in that it was made public to raise its dignity as the main
gate of Gyeongbokgung and to offer people a sightseeing opportunity with its
function as an event stage. However, its significance is not well known to
people along with its history of four major changes.
The investigator thus felt a need for an interface to reproduce its historical
changes visually in a virtual space through four stages and increase the effects
of its information delivery. This study designed an interface to reproduce its
changing process at four stages from the year of King Gojong(1866) to the
Japanese colonial rule(1920) and promote active interactions. The goal was to
recover its historical value through its digital restoration in a virtual space so
that people would get an explanation of its origin and history and reinforce its
understanding. Based on this process, the study explored the possibilities of a
real restoration in a virtual space and investigated cultural heritage experiences
and effects on users' active interactions in a virtual space.
Cultural heritage holds historical values but is subjected to damage through its
continuous changes over time. Trying to overcome it, the Cultural Heritage
Administration and other agencies related to cultural heritage have restored
cultural heritage in 3D scanning and modeling to prepare for its destruction and
damage. The Cultural Heritage Administration has implemented the "Total
Database for the Record of Cultural Heritage Prototypes" project since 2012, and
the data established through the project is called "digital cultural heritage." In a
virtual space, the utilization of digital cultural heritage allows users to
understand cultural heritage effectively and have broad experiences by
reproducing the cultural heritage that exists no longer or historical scenes from
the past not available in reality. This indicates that digital cultural heritage can
serve as a new resource to lead future industries with digital content beyond
the simple preservation of cultural heritage.
When the true restoration of cultural heritage can reproduce historical changes
that people can no longer see today, it can hold greater significance. The
present study thus conducted research on the digital restoration of Woldae at
Gwanghwamun in a virtual space in three research methods. First, it analyzed
the meanings and types of digital restoration and examined the utilization of
digital cultural heritage based on previous studies and visual materials to
understand the concept of the digital restoration of cultural heritage. By
reviewing previous studies on similar topics and selecting the pieces of cultural
heritage that were damaged and no longer existed like Woldae and those that
exist today but are not open to the public, the investigator analyzed the cases
of cultural heritage content in a virtual space home and abroad to examine their
types and effects and arrange the characteristics of cultural heritage that users
could feel in its restoration in a virtual space. Secondly, the study analyzed the
history and size of Woldae based on its excavation and survey materials and
previous studies on its restoration.
By proposing a set of guidelines for cultural heritage restoration in a virtual
space, the study tried to apply user experiences in a virtual space, interface
designs, and the methods of information provision fit for the goals as well as
Woldae. Using the virtual space software Unreal Engine 5, the investigator
reproduced the changed forms of Woldae by the stage. The interface designed
with Widget Blueprints was used to provide its information and show its
changes over the period. This content allowed for interactions with users.
Finally, the final product was used to analyze the reproduction methods of
cultural heritage in a virtual space in terms of uniqueness and effect and
explored the development of future content through digital restoration.
Based on these three methodologies, the study reproduced Woldae at
Gwanghwamun and its surrounding environment from Joseon in a virtual space
and proposed a need for digital restoration in a virtual space and its utilization
plans. In addition, the study considered the textures, arrangements, and forms of
real cultural heritage content that were digitally restored in the making process.
The objective of the study is to promote the utilization of cultural heritage as
an effective viewing medium through the new form of cultural heritage
restoration in a virtual space.